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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

O. C. FORSYIH, JR., OF l/VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SKATE.

` Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. L141,l76, datedSeptember 13, 1864.

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that l, O. G. FORSYTH, Jr., of

Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Skates; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figurel is a view of a vertical and longitudinal section of my improvedskate. Fig. 2 is a view of a cross-section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a skate which shall possessgreat elasticity combined with sufficient strength, which shall beadjustable to suit vas many dierent sizes as are ordinarily required,and whose runners shall be independent of each other, and each be soattached to the skate-body as to adjust itself to every change in itscontour, so that the runners may always rest squarely or evenly upon thesurface of the ice.

D represents the sole or body of the skate, which I make of steel or anyother elastic material, which has also the requisite strength. It is tobe perforated with a number of holes, 3, to admitscrewbolts 2, whoseoffice is to attach to the sole the metallic brackets B, which carry therunners. The brackets B are made in the shape shown in the gures, and ifthey are constructed out of sheet-brass or other metal they can beswaged to that shape, the blank being first cut out to the requiredoutline and holes cut therein to receive the bolts 2, and also slots 2cut therein for the passage of the fastening-straps of the skate.

It will be observed that the brackets B have a broad base, so as toreceive at least two fastening-bolts, 2, and that its sides graduallydiminish to a rounded point, j, which is to be left sufficiently strongto serve as bearings for the journals or 'ulcrum-pins of the runners,which are hung within the sides of the brackets by the fulcrum bolts andnuts l. The runners are to be of metal or other suitable material, andmaybe shaped like those marked A, or like that marked A. It will be seenthat the runners will rock or have a rotating movement about theirpoints of attachment to the brackets. This rotation will, ifuncontrolled, bring their upper ends, 4, against the sole D. In

order to control their rotating movement, I fasten elliptic springs c tothe inner faces of the brackets by cutting slots through the shank ofthe springs so that they can be clamped against the brackets by thesaine screw-bolts 2 which secure the latter to the sole D. rlhese slotsin the springs are elongated to permit of their adjustment in position,and also to increase and decrease their elasticity, which latter objectis effected by shortening or lengthening the limbs of the spring, or thedistance from its ends to the bite of the bolthead. The bolt d in Fig. 2is seen to pass through the shank of one of these springs c through sucha slot.

Although I have shown the springs of this form, and a mode of adjustingand operating them, yet I do not con line myself to the use of springsof this character, as I can use other springs with equally good orbetter results-as, for instance, rubber springs or spiral springs 'iiXedbetween the sole D and the upper or plane edges of the runners, one ormore on each side of a vertical plane passing through the axis of theirfulcrums l. One or more springs are required to bear upon each end ofthe runners when they are shaped like those marked A; but if all therunners are made like that marked A aspring bcaringi's needed only at ortoward its end 4. The runner A in this example is meant for a back orheel ruimer, and is therefore provided with a rudder, 5, which is to beomitted when used under other parts ot' the sole. A bearing, f, whoseupper surface is parallel with and contiguous to the sole D when therunner is in its normal state, is formed upon the back part of therunner A', so that its rotation cannot take place in that direction. Therest ot' the upper edge of the runner is cut away down to the height ofits end 4,` so as to allow of aclear space between it and the sole atthat end. The arc described by that end of the runner may be increasedor decreased by raising or lowering the end 4 of the runner. The bolts 2are secured by nuts or nuts and washers, and these and all thescrewbolts in the skate are to be so constructed and secured as not tobe liable to loosen. The sole D is to be covered by an elasticbed-piece, (l, which is to be cemented or otherwise fastened upon thesole D, the nuts and bolt ends 2 being embedded therein, as shown inFig. l. I propose to use for this purpose vulcanized rubber or otherequivalent material.

1 By' means of the perforations in the sole D for bolts at the points 3,I am enabled to alter the position of the runners, and also to increaseor decrease their number, so that the same sole D may be used for askatewith two or more runners, each to be placed at such points as may bechosen, in order to adjust the skate v for feet of different sizes or tosuit those who desire to increase the steadiness of the skate byincreasing the number ofrunners, and vice versa.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Inconstructing skates, the combination of an elastic sole, with two ormore runners, which are free to rotate in the direction ofthe length ofthe skate, substantially as described.

2. Adjusting the skate for different sizes of feet and to differentdegrees or" steadiness or rigidity by means ofv holes3 in the sole andmoving ends and the sole of the skate, suby stantially as described.

O. C. FORSY'IH, JR.

Witnesses CHARLES D. SMITH, OcfrAviUs KNIGHT.

